Improvement in water-wheels



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NATHAN F. BURNHAM, OFYYORK, PENNSYLVANIA.

IMPROVEMENT In WATER-WHEELS.

Speciiication forming part of Letters Patent No. 128,947, dated uly I6, 1872.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, NATHAN F. BURNHAM, of York, Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Water- Wheels, of which the following is a specifica tion:

The objects of my invention are to provide improved gates for admitting and regulating or arrestingthe supply of water to a turbinewheel, and to provide such means for operating the gates as to admit of opening' or closing any required number of them independently ofthe remainder. The improvements claimed are hereinafter set forth.

In the accompanying drawing, Figure l is a view, in perspective, ot' a wheel-case embodying my improvements; Fig. 2, a horizontal sec- Y tion of the same at the line a: w of Fig. 3, half the gates being shown as open and half as closed, Fig. 3, a verticalsection of the same at the line y y of Fig. 3; Fig. 4, a bottom plan of-the gate-ring detached 5 Fig. 5, a view, in perspective, of one of the gates detached; Fig. 6, a horizontal section, showing a modicationof the gates g and Fig. 7, a view, in perspective, of one ofthe guides.

The wheel-case is, in this instance, composed of an upper plate, A, and lower plate, B, united by bolts, G. A series of guides, D, upon the lower plate B is so arranged as to form spaces E between them, which serve as the chutes or inlets through which the water passes on its way to the wheel. Gates F slide transversely in the chutes D, so as to wholly or partially intercept the passage of water through them, and are operated by a gatering, G, in a manner presently to be described. Each gate is formed of a straight plate, f, and curved plate, f1, and is provided at its top with a flange, f2, resting in a recess in the adjacent guide upon which the gate bears when desired, and, by studs c, secured to the plate B, adjacent to the curved plates f 1 of the gates. Pins f3 upon the gates take into cam-grooves G1, formed in the lower surface of the gatering G. The central portion l of each camgroove is eccentric to the case, and the end portions 2 3 are concentric therewith; the radial distance between the center lines of the portions 2 3 being the measure of the amount of travel of the gate. The gate-ring G is secured to a spider, G2, journaled on a tube, A1, on the upper plate A, and is turned by a pinion, G3, having its bearings on the upper plate A and meshing into a toothed-segment, G4, on the gate-ring. When the gates are full open their pins rest in the outer concentric portions 3 3l of the cam-grooves G1, and by rotating the gatering G in the direction of the arrow, Fig. 1, through one-halt of its range of movement, one-halt' of the series of gates will be closed, the rest remaining open. The further movement of the gate-ring through the remainder of its range of motion will close the other half of the series of gates. Conversely, by reverse movements of the gate-ring, the gates can be opened half the series at a time.

My improved method of opening and clos- -in g the gates obviously may be applied to those moving vertically as well as laterally.

It is obvious that by increasing the length of the eccentric portions of the cam-grooves a number of gates greater than half the series will be operated, while the rest remain station ary; and if the grooves were made eccentric above each gate, the gates will be operated simultaneously.

The gates shut oft' the water directly at the inner line of the chute, close to the buckets, the curve of the plates f1 causing the same outline of chute to be preserved, no matter `how much the gate may be opened or closed.

In order to prevent the formation of eddies or vcurrents in the iniiowing water, and to maintain an unbroken outline for the wall of the the gates, and present an unbroken outline of chute, preventing the breaking of the inowing Water.

I claim as my invention- 1. The combination, With a Water-Wheel case, of gates F, sliding transversely to the inletchutes, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination, With a transverselysliding gate, F, of a curved plate, f1, to form a portion of the Wall of the chute, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination, in a Water-Wheel case, of a guide, D, recessed at its top, and a transversely-sliding gate, F, having a supportingflange bearing on the guide, substantially as set forth.

4. The combination of a transversely-sliding gate, F, and a hinged tongue, F1, substantially as set forth.

Witnesses AUGUSTUS SONNEMAN, N. GOODMAN. 

